Had no idea where to post this but it does have S&W content, I traded a few revolvers. I have always wanted a Garand and now I have two. I traded into a Springfield and a H&R today and know nothing about Garand's. Anyone want to offer some advise and guidance? Thanks and I hope i'm not breaking any rules.

Doyle

Actually the Lounge would have been more appropriate, but you should actually travel over to the Milsurps site and go into the Garand forum. You'll find out everything you want to know and then some! Hope you got some good ones.

All I know is that if you haven't seen Gran Torino, you have to rent it now.

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

Avoid slow powders and heavy bullets. The gas system on the Garand takes it's gas right at the end of the barrel and is a direct impingement on the full length operating rod. Heavy loads or higher than desired pressure are hard on the rod and can damage it in extreme cases. Powders such as 4895 and bullets in the 150 grain area are where the Garand was designed to shine.
Make sure you have a slight touch of grease on the bolt ears where they ride in the op rod and action. A little oil will go a long way in lubing the trigger group and a gentle brush down cleaning of the trigger group after each use will go a long way towards keeping the rifle happy.
Enjoy the great rifles.
Chip King

Yea. Use Garand 30.06 ammo only. You could buy a self regulating gas plug but they dont always work as advertised.

PPU makes Garand specific ammo. So does AE as well as Greek surplus.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks everyone, Sorry for posting in the wrong place. I know nothing about Garands but I will learn. It looks like the Springfield dates to 1943 and the H&R to 1953. Thanks again

Doyle

Go here to learn about everything about Garands:
CMP Forums

IMR4895 is probably the most used powder for the M1. I believe that was also the what .gov used. Didn't Hornady come out with some ammo a few years ago made for M1s? I have a late war Springfield that is joy to shoot. Ping.....

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NRA Cert. Inst. RSO

And to steal someone else's quote "never happened without pictures"

I've always like M1 Garands but have never bought on yet. Congrats on your recent purchase.

Use the side of your hand to hold the bolt back while you depress the follower to load, or close the bolt on an empty chamber.
Failure to do so can result in a malady called, "M1 Thumb."

I caught it while in JROTC in highschool. Once was enough, although I
did catch the front of my shirt in the bolt one other time.
The M1 I was issued was made by International Harvester.
The one I got, too many years later, was a Springfield Armory. It was
one of the "Blue Sky" Korean re-imports that came in in the late 1980s.
Rough looking but still shoots well. I used it for NRA Highpower Rifle
Matches till I got an M1A.

I have always used H4895 or IMR4895 to load for the M1.
Usually used 147 grain Winchester FMJBT "pull down" bullets.
They shot very well to some folks surprise.

Be sure and grease the cam raceway in the operating rod. If you don't, either it or the cam at the end of the right bolt locking lug will gall. Also grease the locking lug recesses.

Let the bolt fly when you charge them. Don't ride the Handel. If the bolt doesn't fully turn and lock up, the hammer will break the firing pin. Get the bolt disassembly tool. Makes taking the bolt down for cleaning a snap. Start buying enblock clips now, they only go up. Check out sarco for stuff.

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A republic if you can keep it

In addition to 4895, 4064 is another powder that can be used in a Garand.

Buy a copy of Hatcher's "Book of the Garand". CMP site is helpful, and Culver Shooting Pages" site is very good.

Thanks everyone, I will be buying all the books I can find and getting all the info I can find on the web. Thanks again

Doyle

DJR,

I see that you are in E. TN and depending on how close you live to Oak Ridge, you should consider visiting the Oak Ridge Sportsmen's ***'n web site and check out their CMP clinics. These clinics are designed to help new shooters learn how to shoot service rifle competition and become proficient with their rifles.

There are several articles from the American Rifleman that you can access on the net for load data. Others have given you great advice on ammo and an adjustable gas plug. The CMP is the place to find Greek and sometimes, G.I. surplus ammo.

You can check out u tube videos on the Garand and learn more in a week than I did as a kid in the 70's in a year! The Harrington & Richardson Garands are considered one of the better made rifles. I had one for years but, sold it to fund another project. I still have two (2) Springfields and one was rebarreled to .308. Great shooting rifles. Have fun and if you ever get to middle TN, come shoot with us a the AEDC range near Tullahoma, TN!

go to the cmp forum,so much info there you cant process it all,also they are a pretty helpfull bunch of guys(like those here)

I second Bat's advice regarding Hatcher's Book of the Garand.

You'll not find a better reference. It covers the History, maintenance, dis/and assemble, the use in combat and competition and an excellent trouble shooting guide.

No Garand owner should be without Hatcher's book.

Another good book is The U.S. .30 caliber gas operated service rifles, a shop manual, volumes I&II, by Jerry Kuhnhausen. It covers the M-1 and M-14, M1A rifles.

I still shoot up a lot of WW2 surplus ammo in mine. It's corrosive primed of course but w/a good & proper cleaning afterwards, they are fine. That's what they were originally fed,,just make sure you disassemble and clean properly to clear it of any corrosive 'salts' not only in the bbl, but also the gas system, bolt, ect.
Everyone has their own special solution to use to clean rifles after corrosive primers are used. Nothing special, I just continue to use water w/a splash of dish soap in it. As long as what you use works for you.
It can be a pain to some to clean like that after every range session, but I don't see it that way. Some experts have told me I'm wearing the rifle out disassembling it that way to clean it.
I think it was made that way with that in mind.
It's not a National Match Rifle, just a slam-bang 1944 M1.
Still shoots 2" @ 100 w/mixed headstamped surplus and 64 y/o eyes. Not a perfect bore either. I'll never wear it out.
I use one of the Shuster (sp?) adjustable gas port things in mine. Works great. Don't have to chase the brass all over heck. Still operates w/ 100% reliability, but just ejects the brass out a couple of feet.

Get your rifles up and shooting,,they'll be the most fun to shoot rifles you own.

Very good information passed on to you so far.Heed the advice regarding reloading and the use of 4895.One thing you need to check is barrel and throat erosion.A gauge can be purchased from CMP or Fulton Armory showing throat reading from 1-9 and muzzle 0-3. If l were to concern my self with one it would be muzzle.Since most garands were cleaned from the muzzle with jointed rods or steel barracks rods the crown can become quite worn while the rifling/barrel look pristine.This more than anything will impact accuracy.If you do not have a muzzle gauge use a GI m-72 ball round and place in the muzzle while holding the rifle verticle.If 1/8 inch or more of the bullel shows you are good,if case mouth touches the muzzle accuracy may be questionable.There is a very good explanation on the garand collectors site.Just google M1 garand bullet test.

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SWCA#2288
SWHF#407

Thanks everyone, I have ordered all the books recommended and more too plus more enbloc carriers. I need to find some correct ammo now then get dies and start reloading. I cant wait to get these up and running. I will also check out the Oak Ridge range. What would be the correct sling for these rifles and can someone explain the adj gas block. Thanks again I am having way too much fun for an old man.

Doyle

If you go to the CMP e-store you can purchase HXP ball rounds for approx. .50 cents rd.Good ammo suitable for reloading.They also have reproduction canvas web slings that are period correct for your rifle for 8.95 l believe.

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SWCA#2288
SWHF#407

Thanks Dave

Doyle

Best described as a solution to a non-existing problem. I can't understand why a rifle that has worked for 75 or so years all of a sudden needs an adjustable gas block.

Everyone I've talked to says they work, but aren't as accurate as the orginal system (maybe Mr. Garand knew something we don't, or maybe he didn't have the internet to tell him he needed the adjustable gas block).

Regardless, you don't need them, there are several references (Hornady Reloading Manuals is a good choice) about loading for the Garand.

To make it simple, use medium burning powder (4895, 4064, etc) and bullets up to 180 gr and you'll have no problems.

Also at some future date, you're going to want to shoot Garand Matches, or CMP GSM Games, the rules call for "as issued" meaning adj. gas blocks make the gun illegal in these matches.

My Garand was made in 1941. I shot the **** out of it since I got it in 1981 or so, and last a week ago I shot it in the Cody CMP Garand match. Its over 70 years old and still shoots quite well. All this without the adjustable gas system.

Another thing about the Garand. It has witness marks on the elevation knob. These marks allow you to sight in the rifle at a given range, set the knob so the lines match up, then you can set it to any elevation you want without counting clicks. These marks are set up for normal Garand ammo, not something you can use if you use the adj gas system.

Rant off:

I tried to order some ammo and slings but it would not let me order the ammo. I have no idea why but I will keep looking. Thanks

Doyle

You have to be a member of a CMP affiliated club to order from their store. There are literally thousands of clubs and you might already be a member, you just need to provide the CMP with the information. Send them an email and they will assist (don't expect quick answers, they're swamped with orders)

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Minimize the variables

Quote:
can someone explain the adj gas block



No you don't 'need' one, a lot of things we don't need I guess.

But to answer your question, what they are is a simple replacement for the existing gas cylinder lock screw in the end of the gas cylinder.

The original is a solid unit. The adjustable one is just that. The Shuster brand looks the same as the GI, but has a small set screw down in the center of it accessable from the front.

With it you adjust the amount of gas that is expelled from the system each time it's fired. Increasing the amount slows the action down so to speak and softens the recoil of the op-rod and bolt.
That then controls the ejection of the brass (how far it throws them), or you can even open it so the rifle does not eject the case and operates as a manual operated repeater.
Allows ammo that is not M1-spec loaded to be used in the rifle as you can alter the 'port' pressure with the new unit. Many purists dislike the very thought of it, but ammo & components are where you find them sometimes and I just like to shoot the things.

I don't shoot CMP anything matches, so it doesn't concern me if they allow them or not.
But if you go, and they won't let you inside the gate cause you have one on your rifle, then screw the old one that came on your rifle back in place before you leave for the big event. It only takes a screw driver.

You are altering the amount of gas pressure at the 'port'. I like it also because it's easier on the op-rod which can be an expensive replacement an around $150 for the part. Many op-rods are out of spec and there are few who can eye-ball a good one.

That's what they are,,that's what they do.

No you don't 'need' one,,it doesn't make the M1 better. It makes shooting a bit more enjoyable to me and others and helps save some expensive parts in the 70 y/o rifle.

No rant, just an answer to the question.